New York Giants WRs dropped 43 Eli Manning passes in 2017

Last season, New York Giants wide receivers failed Eli Manning in dropping a league-high 43 passes according to Pro Football Focus.

Last season, what could go wrong for the New York Giants did go a wrong. It was a season that everyone in the organization and fans want to forget.

They set a franchise record for most losses. They lost three receivers for the year in one game. They even unceremoniously ended Eli Manning’s consecutive-game streak and fired their head coach and general manager.

The Giants also owned the dubious distinction of dropping league-high 43 passes thrown by Manning last season, according to Pro Football Focus. The quarterback with the second most dropped passes was Oakland Raiders’ Derek Carr with 35.

This played a huge role in why Manning’s completion percentage was below 62% for the first time since 2013.

Of course, the way thing played out last season, it’s understandable why the Giants had so many dropped passes last season. In addition to losing Odell Beckham Jr, Brandon Marshall and Dwayne Harris for the season in the Giants 27-22 Week 5 loss to the Chargers, Sterling Shepard missed five games last season due to migraines and a sprained ankle.

Even rookie sensation tight end Evan Engram missed the season finale due to a neck injury.

By the end of the season, Manning was throwing to the likes of Travis Rudolph and Hunter Sharp. At the start of the season, Rudolph was on the Giants practice squad and Sharp was on the Denver Broncos practice squad.

Last season was an anomaly, so don’t expect the Giants receiving core to be depleted by injuries like they were in 2017 ever again.

With OBJ, Shepard and Engram coming back healthy, and with the addition of rookie Saquon Barkley catching passes out of the backfield, you can rest assure the Giants won’t lead the league in drops in 2018 or anytime in the near future.